Gruenebaum Latest To Be Down With The Sickness

By: Adam Jardy

The Columbus Dispatch - April 25, 2012 01:47 PM

The virus that has spread through the Crew’s locker room has claimed another victim. Starting
goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum was absent from today’s training, and head coach Robert Warzycha said he
is the latest to come down with the flu-like bug that has bitten at least three other players.

Last week, defenders Chad Marshall and Josh Williams both missed Tuesday’s practice and were
limited Wednesday before returning to action Thursday. Both started and went the distance in
Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Houston. Also during the weekend, injured midfielder Dilly Duka came down
with the bug and watched the Dynamo match from his bed.

Gruenebaum’s status for the weekend remains to be seen at the moment. It is not known when
Marshall and Williams first started to feel sick. Should Gruenebaum not be fit for Saturday’s match
against Vancouver, rookie and homegrown player Matt Lampson would make his first career start.
Gruenebaum has started all six games this season in relief of the injured William Hesmer, who
underwent microfracture surgery on his hip and is likely out for the entire season.

On a more positive note, midfielder Milovan Mirosevic was back in action today after being
absent yesterday.

Mirosevic has said he is most comfortable playing directly behind a striker, and the Crew
seemed to be working on those abilities today. During a drill that featured the team’s four
available forwards – Justin Meram, Emilio Renteria, Aaron Schoenfeld and Olman Vargas – Mirosevic
fed each player his final pass before he turned and fired at the goal.

Duka was present and working out on the sidelines, as were Ben Speas and Julius James. Look
for an update on Duka’s situation tomorrow morning.

Playing on a short field, the Crew conducted an intrasquad scrimmage that was heavy on goals.
Schoenfeld tallied twice, as did Meram (on a diving header), Renteria, Korey Veeder, Aubrey Perry
and Eric Gehrig on a beautiful pass in traffic from Tony Tchani, but the winner came from the right
foot of Josh Williams, whose blast from maybe 10 yards out set off celebrations for his team.